Hinamatsuri,
also called Doll's Day or Girls' Day, is celebrated each year in Japan on March
3. On this day, platforms covered in red fabric are used to display a vast set
of ornamental Imperial dolls, or hina-ningyo,
representing the Emperor, Empress, attendants and musicians in traditional
court dress of the Heian period

(A.D. 794 - 1185).

Families generally start to display the dolls in February and
take them down immediately after the March 3 festival. Superstition says that
leaving the dolls up past March 4 will result in a late marriage for the
daughter.

This wonderful collection of
dolls belonged to Omaha resident MichiyoMastumoto David (Michi). Michi's family have gifted the dolls in her honor and in
hopes that the Japanese tradition of displaying these magnificent dolls can be
enjoyed by the members and guests of Lauritzen Gardens.